Police: Johnstown teen was forcefully taken by man she did not know

Jan. 24, 2013

JOHNSTOWN — A 38-year-old man was arrested Thursday in connection with the disappearance of 16-year-old girl from Johnstown. She was found safe Thursday morning.

The teen was last seen around 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of South Hayes Avenue in Johnstown.

Police say she was forcefully taken into a vehicle by David Calderon on Tuesday night at a grocery store parking lot. Police say the girl did not know the man.

Johnstown Police Chief Brian Phillips said she had access to some kind of iPod device where she alerted her friends that she was in danger.

The teen told her friends on Facebook that she was with a guy named "Dave" and that she was scared. In one of the messages she wrote: "call the police."

A relative of the suspect saw a news report that authorities were looking for a guy named Dave in connection with the kidnapping. The relative walked over to the suspect's home in the 300 block of Maetes Street on Thursday morning and told him, "If you have the girl, let her go," according to Johnstown police.

Police watched the house and later arrested Calderon during a traffic stop.